Source Fashion closes strongest edition yet as global growth drives new opportunities for British manufacturing

Source Fashion concluded its strongest edition to date last week, bringing three days of international sourcing, collaboration and industry debate at Excel London to a close. Following a successful debut in its new home, the show welcomed buyers, brands and manufacturers from across the global fashion industry, with strong visitor engagement, high-quality commercial conversations and a shared focus on building more resilient, transparent and commercially successful supply chains.

Over the three-day event, Source Fashion brought together over 305 exhibitors from 19 countries, saw an increase in footfall and a 20 percent increase high value buyers, (those with a personal budget responsibility in excess of 250k). The show attracted buying teams from Next, John Lewis, Debenhams Group, Asda, Matalan, Brook Taverner, TK Maxx, Harvey Nichols, Tesco, Avon, Skinnydip London, Fred Perry, Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth Scarlett, Never Fully Dressed, Domino’s, French Connection, Glenmuir, Reiss, Killstar, Percival Menswear, Derek Rose,  Pop Soda, Bluebella, Moss Bros, Sainsbury’s, Hackett, Motel Rocks, Perry Ellis, Nobodies Child, Omnes, River Island Gigi & Olive, Goddiva, and West Ham United.

The move to Excel London enabled Source Fashion’s largest and most international edition to date, reflecting the show’s continued growth as a global sourcing platform, connecting international manufacturers with buyers while creating an increasingly important international showcase for British manufacturing.

The expanded exhibition space at Excel London has also created the platform for Source Fashion’s next phase of growth, enabling its largest international exhibitor line-up to date while giving British manufacturers greater visibility on a global stage as buyer demand for UK production continues to grow.

British manufacturing takes centre stage

As Source Fashion’s international reach continues to grow, British manufacturing emerged as one of the defining themes of this season’s show. Live demonstrations, practical workshops and conversations across the exhibition showcased the breadth of UK manufacturing capability, while exhibitors reported strong buyer engagement, new business opportunities and growing international interest in British production.

Live features including The Factory by ApparelTASKER gave visitors the opportunity to experience manufacturing first-hand, demonstrating the craftsmanship, technical expertise and transparency behind modern garment production. Zack Sartor, Owner of ApparelTASKER, said: “The response to The Factory has been incredible. One of the biggest surprises has been just how many people working in fashion have never actually seen clothing being made. Seeing visitors engage with the production process and watching our team proudly demonstrate their skills has been incredibly rewarding. Manufacturing is a craft, and giving people the opportunity to see it first-hand helps build greater understanding, appreciation and transparency across the industry. Alongside that, we’ve generated more than 200 leads during the show, making this our strongest Source Fashion yet.”

That enthusiasm was reflected more widely across the show floor, where exhibitors reported strong commercial outcomes, high-quality buyer engagement and growing demand for British manufacturing. Emma McClelland, Director of Knitster, said: “This is our first time exhibiting at Source Fashion and it exceeded every expectation. We’ve had conversations with some really significant customers, including Harvey Nichols, alongside a fantastic mix of established brands and emerging businesses. As a British manufacturer, people are often surprised by the quality and capability we’re able to offer, so it’s been a brilliant opportunity to challenge perceptions and showcase what UK manufacturing can deliver. Having more British manufacturers exhibiting together has also been a real strength, creating a stronger platform to present our industry to buyers.”

Andrea Courtney, Director of Courtney & Co, said: “Source Fashion has been incredibly positive for us. We met a wide range of brands we’d never connected with before and were busy throughout with meaningful conversations. Source Fashion attracts a much broader audience than many of the other events we attend, giving us the opportunity to meet larger customers as well as manufacturers from around the world. It’s exactly the kind of environment that helps us build new relationships and generate future business.”

Nivetha Thirumoorthy, Production Co-ordinator at Fashion-Enter, said: “This has been our most successful Source Fashion yet. We’ve met exactly the type of buyers we were hoping to connect with, including established brands that are actively looking to manufacture in the UK. Being based in London gives brands the opportunity to visit our factory, see production in progress and create content around the manufacturing process, which is becoming increasingly important. We’ve made some genuinely valuable connections over the past three days that we’re excited to develop into long-term partnerships.”

Three days of conversations shaping the future of sourcing

Across three days, Source Fashion’s content programme reflected an industry increasingly focused on implementation rather than aspiration, with discussions exploring AI, supply chain resilience, British manufacturing, transparency, circularity and the commercial realities shaping sourcing decisions today.

Charlotte Morley, Operations Director at Elizabeth Scarlett, said: “One of the real strengths of Source Fashion is that it combines supplier discovery with genuinely valuable industry insight. Alongside meeting manufacturers, the content programme gives buyers the opportunity to better understand the realities of sourcing, manufacturing and the challenges facing the industry. It’s a great place to hear different perspectives, learn from experts and have conversations that you don’t often get elsewhere.”

One of the standout discussions on the final day, ‘Rethinking MOQs for a Smarter Supply Chain’, brought together Hannah Abdulla, Editor at Just Style, Jacquelyn Cole, Founder of Coco Beau London, Kirsty Connor, Buying Director at Never Fully Dressed, and Nick Reed, Founder of Neem London, to explore how brands can build more agile sourcing strategies without increasing risk or overproduction. Rather than viewing minimum order quantities as a barrier, the panel highlighted the importance of stronger supplier partnerships, flexible manufacturing models and smarter buying decisions that enable brands to test products, improve cash flow and respond more effectively to changing consumer demand. Nick Reed, Founder of Neem London, said: “Find a maker that believes in your business and wants to grow with you. If they believe in what you’re building, they’ll support you through those early stages, and that’s how long-term partnerships are created.”

The conversations taking place throughout the programme reflected the continued evolution of Source Fashion itself. As the show grows, it is increasingly bringing together global sourcing expertise with expanding opportunities for British manufacturers, responding to growing buyer demand for both international production partners and stronger domestic manufacturing capability.

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, said: “This show has marked an important milestone for Source Fashion. As we’ve grown, and our community has grown with us,  we’ve become much more than a sourcing exhibition, we are a global platform where manufacturers from around the world connect with buyers who are looking for resilient, responsible and commercially successful sourcing partners. Importantly, we’ve created an increasingly valuable international stage for British manufacturing, giving UK manufacturers the opportunity to showcase their capabilities alongside the very best in the world, and not only showcase but win the orders that will allow them to grow with us.

The success of our move to Excel London has given us the space and confidence to continue evolving the show. In January, we’ll be expanding our textiles offer and also welcoming new international pavilions from Sri Lanka, Jordan and expanding our work with the UN Women’s programme in Egypt. Importantly we’re creating even more opportunities for UK manufacturers, maker brands, and seeing an increasing buyer demand for accessories and footwear that we must service. As more people within the buying community discover Source Fashion, they’re asking for more from us, and I’m committed to building a platform that reflects how the industry is changing while continuing to support its future growth.”

Building on the momentum of its strongest edition to date, Source Fashion returns to Excel London from 19th – 21st January 2027 with an expanded textiles offer, new international pavilions and even greater opportunities for British manufacturers to connect with buyers from around the world.